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At a press conference in Vilnius almost a year after the first arrests, human rights defenders claimed that there are currently seven leaders and representatives of the organization in captivity.
Among those detained are Marfa Rabkova, the leader of the organization’s volunteer network, who has been imprisoned for almost exactly one year, Valentinas Stefanovičius, Viasna’s vice president, Leanid Sudalenka, the organization’s director in Gomel, Alesius Beliackis , former vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights.
Viasna expert Pavel Sapelka claimed they were accused of helping organize protests, “preparing people for mass unrest”, as well as “social oppression” by publicly criticizing government decisions, and so on. A.Beliackis, V. Stefanovičius and Vladimiras Lakpovičius are still accused of organizing group actions to violate public order and tax offenses.
According to P. Sapelka, according to the accusations, some of them run the risk of being imprisoned for up to 12 years.
Other representatives of the organization, the families of the detainees, spoke during the conference about the unbearable conditions of detention, obstacles to communication with them, obstruction to receiving treatment in case of COVID-19.
As Ilya Nuzov, head of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) branch in Western Europe and Central Asia said at the conference, in addition to the aforementioned detainees, ten more have been prosecuted.
Campaign – anniversary of arrest
“We are launching a broad campaign to secure the release of Vesna members, which is scheduled for September 17. Why this date? Because on the same day, exactly one year ago, Marfa Rabkova, the service coordinator, was arrested. Viasna volunteer. Unfortunately, she has been arrested so far, “said I. Nuzov.
The organization announces a virtual “global protest” on September 17, inviting #FreeViasna to share the message on social media, place specially designed banners on websites, use posters and flyers with prisoners’ faces, hold various protests and report them to Viasna. ., in order to “show the world and the Belarusian authorities that we are together with Viasna.
Viasna invites you to send messages about the closure of this organization to international organizations, non-governmental, governments, to write letters to human rights defenders.
According to I. Nuzov, the campaign has the support of important non-governmental organizations: it is represented by FIDH, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Rights House Foundation and others.
UN spokesperson: Minsk’s actions are arbitrary and politically motivated
Anais Maren, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Bataria, emphasized that Belarus did not recognize the UN mandate and therefore did not have the opportunity to work in Belarus and was “directly dependent” on the cooperation with human rights organizations in the country. country, mainly Viasna.
Through the efforts of this organization, Marín said, “the implementation of the UN mandate has always been essential.”
“The terrible crackdown that is currently taking place against Viasna has a major impact on our ability to track allegations of human rights abuses in Geneva, gather evidence and properly record the crackdown. This is probably not a coincidence.” I am deeply concerned. by Belarusian human rights defenders who have been arrested in recent months, “he said.
“In our opinion, the arrests are arbitrary and the prosecution or other forms of harassment they experience are politically motivated,” said the UN special rapporteur.
We therefore demand that they be released as soon as possible and that their right to a fair trial be guaranteed and that they are not ill-treated in places of detention. Cruel conditions appear to have been deliberately created for human rights defenders in places of detention, ”said A. Marin.
He said that he regularly sends statements of accusations to the Belarusian government under a UN mandate, as well as reports to the UN General Assembly on the situation in Belarus. The latest report will be presented in October in New York. Among other things, the difficult situation of women and their human rights defenders stands out.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has also appointed three independent experts to collect and analyze information on human rights violations, including identifying the culprits.
Massive demonstrations have taken place in Belarus since the presidential elections of August 9 last year, when the authoritarian leader since 1994, Aliaksandr Lukashenko, was declared the winner. Peaceful protests have been quelled by force and repression, and protest trials have been held in Belarus to date, with some 600 people declared political prisoners.
Lithuania and others say the Western elections are rigged and do not recognize Lukashenko’s legitimately elected president.
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